As Lia stepped into Professor Shi's lecture hall for her next round of research, she scanned the rows of seats and quickly slid into a spot in the front.
She took out her notebook, hoping for a peaceful class and ready to immerse herself in the upcoming lecture. But just as she settled in, she heard a quiet but familiar sigh from the row behind her.
Turning slightly, she spotted Jing Hao slouched in his seat, arms crossed, his expression a perfect mix of frustration and disappointment. He didn't seem to notice her looking at him, but the huff of air he let out as he stared at his notebook made his feelings clear. It looked like she wasn't going to escape the drama entirely.
A pang of guilt shot through her. She'd avoided him at his party and hadn't thought twice about it, but she hadn't realized how much he'd cared. Still, Jing Hao wasn't exactly someone she could explain much to without making things more awkward.
The door at the front swung open, and Professor Shi strode in, adjusting his glasses as he set down his materials. He began an enthusiastic monologue on number theory, but the tension between Lia and Jing Hao lingered, a faint but stubborn hum in the background.
Lia kept her focus on the professor's words, but every so often, she could sense Jing Hao's gaze on her, almost accusatory. Eventually, unable to resist, she turned and whispered, "Jing Hao, is something wrong?"
He looked at her, his mouth set in a petulant line. "Wrong? Nothing's wrong. Why would anything be wrong?" he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear.
"Okay, now you're just making it obvious," she whispered back, feeling a little exasperated.
He scoffed, shooting her a wounded look. "You didn't come. I thought maybe you'd at least drop by, considering…"
"Considering… what?" Lia asked, genuinely puzzled but trying to keep her voice low.
"Considering that I invited you," he muttered, looking away as if it was physically painful for him to admit. His fingers drummed against his notebook, almost sulky.
Lia sighed, feeling a strange mixture of exasperation and guilt. "I'm sorry, Jing Hao. Something came up, and I couldn't make it."
But before he could reply, a sharp voice from a row behind cut through the class. "Could the two lovebirds in the front keep it down? Some of us are actually here to learn," the girl sneered.
Lia stiffened as Yaya turned her head, her eyes cold and assessing. Her gaze swept over Lia in a way that made her feel instantly uncomfortable, like she was being dissected under a microscope.
"And not run around on the second floor like some… you know," Yaya continued, her voice laced with venom.
The words hung in the air, and several students turned to look at Lia with raised eyebrows. Heat flooded her cheeks, and she resisted the urge to shrink into her seat. This was not the kind of attention she'd wanted.
"Excuse me?" Lia's voice was low, but it held a dangerous edge.
"Oh, don't act innocent," Yaya sneered. "Some of us saw you at Jing Hao's party. You didn't think that your crawling for a backer... wouldn't go unnoticed, did you?"
Jing Hao's head snapped up, looking between Lia and Yaya with wide eyes. "Wait, what? You were at my party?"
Lia swallowed, her face burning as Yaya's gaze bored into her. She couldn't believe this was happening in front of everyone, in the middle of Professor Shi's lecture. It felt like a bad dream.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said quietly, trying to keep her voice calm.
"Oh, please," Yaya scoffed. "I saw you. Up there on the second floor. Don't act all innocent now, Lia. I know what I saw."
The room was dead silent, all eyes on them now. Lia's heart was pounding, her mind scrambling for something to say. This was getting out of control, and the last thing she wanted was to feed into Yaya's twisted narrative.
"Whatever you think you saw, Yaya, it's none of your business," Lia replied, her tone colder now. "Maybe you should focus on your own life instead of making up stories about mine."
Yaya's eyes flashed with anger, but before she could respond, Professor Shi cleared his throat, looking over the class with a frown.
"If there's an issue that can't wait until after my class," he said sternly, "then by all means, take it outside. Otherwise, I suggest everyone gets back to paying attention."
A murmur went through the room as the students turned their attention back to the class. Yaya shot Lia one last withering glare before she grudgingly turned away. Lia exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling that clung to her like a second skin.
The rest of the class passed in a blur. When it was finally over, she hurriedly packed up her things, eager to get out of there before Yaya could corner her again. But as she made her way down the aisle, Jing Hao caught up to her, his face full of questions.
"Lia, wait," he said, falling into step beside her. "Is it true? You were at the party?"
She hesitated, biting her lip. "It's… complicated," she said finally. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."
"So you were there," he said, a hurt expression crossing his face. "Why didn't you at least say hi? I was looking for you all night."
Lia sighed, guilt tugging at her again. She'd really tried to keep a low profile, but it seemed like no amount of discretion could save her from the rumor mill.
"Look, Jing Hao," she said softly, stopping to face him. "You're a good guy but we have different statuses."
I'm a goddamn professor!
He looked at her, a mix of disappointment and something else flickering in his eyes. "It's not intruding, Lia. I invited you because I wanted you there. We… barely ever get to hang out outside of class, you know?"
Because I'm not enrolled in this class!
Lia looked down, feeling the weight of his words. She hadn't realized how much he cared until now.
"Look I'm sorry you felt hurt," she murmured, looking up at him.
Jing Hao's gaze softened, the tension easing from his shoulders. "It's okay," he said quietly. "Just… next time, let me know if you're going to vanish on me, alright?"
She nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Deal."
With that, he walked away, leaving Lia to finally escape the classroom and the prying eyes of her classmates.